Motorcycle rider education in Iowa questions and answers
What is the Motorcycle Rider Education (MRE) Program?
Who teaches it? Who can or must take it? What does it cost? Where can I take it? How can I get a motorcycle operator's manual? Stay Alert - Stay Alive brochure Motorcycle Safety Foundation Iowa Motorcycle Safety Network
Motorcycle safety spring tune-up message
Links to other motorcycle rider education related websitesWhat is the Motorcycle Rider Education (MRE) Program?
Iowa has a quality Motorcycle Rider Education (MRE) Program administered by the Iowa DOT's Office of Driver Services. Iowa's MRE Program teaches Basic Rider Course (BRC) and the Basic Rider Course II (BRC II) of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF). The BRC has a minimum of 15 hours of core instruction — five hours spent in the classroom in preparation for 10 hours of range activities. The BRC II has a minimum of five hours — most of which are spent on the range. You must successfully pass a knowledge test, as well as a skill test to receive a certificate of completion..Basic skills taught include:
- Riding in a straight line.
- Turning.
- Shifting.
- Stopping.
The next level of instruction is the application of these basic skills to on-street riding conditions.
Back to topWho teaches it?
Only Iowa-licensed, MSF-certified rider coaches teach the BRC and BRC II programs.Who can or must take it?
Any person 14 years of age or older, whether licensed or not licensed for motorcycle, may take the course to learn, refresh or improve safe riding skills. The licensing skills test may be waived upon successful completion of the course.Iowa Code section 321.180B requires any person under the age of 18 who wants a motorcycle license — valid for the operation of a motorcycle — to successfully complete the motorcycle rider education course before the motorcycle license will be issued.
What does it cost?
Motorcycle rider education in Iowa is supported in part by an additional fee of $2 per year for a motorcycle validations, a portion from the sale of MRE license plates and the balance comes from the student tuition. Your out-of-pocket cost, which varies by sponsor, ranges from about $115 to $245.Where can I take it?
The training season, somewhat weather dependent, varies throughout the state. However, the course is generally available from early April through mid-October. Sponsors of the BRC or BRC II include 13 of Iowa's 15 community colleges, ABATE of Iowa Inc. and Bandy Motorcycle Training. Iowa also has the Harley Davidson Rider's Edge Program, currently with four sponsors — Big Barn Harley Davidson of Des Moines, Clinton Harley Davidson of Clinton, Hawkeye Harley Davidson of Coralville, and Silver Eagle Harley Davidson/Yamaha Cycle Center of Waterloo. The course is taught at all 15 community colleges, either by the college or the mobile programs of ABATE.Sponsors, sites and course registration telephone numbers are listed below.
| Sponsors | Locations | Telephone |
| ABATE of Iowa Inc. | Algona Cherokee Council Bluffs Davenport Forest City Madrid Pekin Shenandoah Waterloo |
641-858-5001 |
| Bandy Motorcycle Training | North Liberty | 319-626-2014 |
| Big Barn Harley Davidson | Des Moines | 515-265-4444 |
| Clinton Harley Davidson | Clinton | 563-242-1901 |
| Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny Carroll |
515-964-6676 800-342-0033 (toll-free) |
| Eastern Iowa Community College District | Bettendorf Clinton Muscatine |
563-336-3320 888-336-3907 (toll-free) |
| Hawkeye Community College | Waterloo | 319-296-4005 |
| Hawkeye Harley Davidson | Coralville | 319-545-7495 |
| Iowa Central Community College | Fort Dodge |
800-362-2793 ext. 1970 or 515-574-1970 |
| Iowa Lakes Community College | Emmetsburg Spencer |
800-252-5664 712-362-7231 |
| Iowa Valley Community College District | Marshalltown | 800-284-4823 (toll-free) |
| Iowa Western Community College | Council Bluffs | See "ABATE" |
| Kirkwood Community College | Cedar Rapids Iowa City |
319-398-1022 800-332-8833 (toll-free) |
| North Iowa Area Community College | Hampton | 888-466-4222 See "ABATE" |
| Northeast Iowa Community College | Calmar Peosta |
800-728-2256 ext. 399 888-642-2338 ext. 380 |
| Northwest Iowa Community College | Sheldon | 800-352-4907 (toll-free) |
| Silver Eagle Harley Davidson/Yamaha Cycle Center | Waterloo | 319-235-6505 ext. 19 |
| Southeastern Iowa Community College | Keokuk West Burlington |
800-828-7322 (toll-free) 866-722-4692 ext. 8104 |
| Southwestern Community College | Creston | 641-782-1449 641-782-1441 800-247-4023 ext. 441 800-247-4023 ext. 449 |
| Western Iowa Tech Community College | Sioux City | 712-274-8733 ext. 6404 |
Links to other motorcycle rider education related websites
These links are for the benefit of those who access this site and are not meant to represent authorization of any product or group. Suggestions for other websites to be listed here may be submitted to Toni.Kerkove@dot.iowa.gov.www.motorcycleaccident.org
MotorcycleAccident.org strives to provide unbiased, objective information about minimizing the risks of motorcycle riding, including articles, statistics, and advice for those affected by such accidents.
